


Gone, Gone, Gone

by tempiar



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-19 21:42:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7378417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tempiar/pseuds/tempiar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seventeen year old Ichigo Kurosaki sees the souls of the dearly departed. His psychiatrist tells him they're hallucinations and he's stuck with a medication that does nothing beside drain him of his willpower. Kisuke Urahara, an old friend of his parents' and his unofficial godfather, sees the same things as him. The problem with Kisuke offering Ichigo help with his situation, is that the blonde emanates danger - but that's probably one of the reasons why Ichigo is so willing to say yes. </p><p>[Heavily AU, no soul society.]</p><p>**DISCONTINUED**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're my back bone.

"Geez, why did I let the old man drag me here? This stinks." Ichigo let out a heavy sigh, a look of annoyance on his face as he leant against the wall. When his dad said party, he should have known he meant _fancy dinner party_ , his disappointment was his own fault. He was completely underdressed in his jeans and t-shirt, even Karin and Yuzu had worn something at least a little fancy.

At least his friends were invited too - not to mention Chad didn't get the memo about the fancy part either. Or maybe he did and just didn't care. Actually, come to think of it, Ichigo had never seen his tall friend wear anything even remotely resembling a suit. As he thought it over in his head something caught his eye from across the room. Of course, Orihime would be in the same awkward position as him, leaning against a wall far from anyone else. Might as well go keep her company, he thought to himself as he pushed off of the wall and started over towards her. Ichigo barely got five feet before a hand was on his shoulder, annoyance at the interruption clear when he looked to his dad.

"Ichigo, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He's someone who helped me out when I was younger." His dad looked pleased with himself, and Ichigo was about to wipe that smile off his face and tell him to buzz off, that he had more important things to do, when his father smiled and had that rare expression that screamed ' _I'm a dad, I know what's best_ '. "He helped Masaki and I out when we needed it most. I think you'd like him. Think of him as a... godfather of sorts." That goofy smile was back on his face, and Ichigo had to use every ounce of his willpower not to punch him right then and there.

"Yeah. Alright, old man. Whatever, I'll meet the guy but I'm not gonna promise I'll like him. All of your friends are weird anyways." Ichigo looked away towards where Orihime was, seeing that Uryu was leaning against the wall with her, their conversation inaudible but - judging from their faces - pleasant. He wouldn't admit how comforting it was to see them smile and laugh together.

Ichigo let his father drag him away from most of the soiree, towards a three person conversation of people that rubbed him in all the wrong ways. A blonde guy who looked way too pervy, even in that suit, a tall brunette with a mustache that screamed 'forty-year-old virgin', and a caramel skinned woman who looked way too beautiful to be hanging out with those two.

"Kisuke. Can I have a minute of your time?" The three looked over, and Ichigo grimaced under the attention as his father was introducing him and they said their names in return. The information went in one ear and out the other, and he blinked a little at the hand that was offered to him. What a piss poor time for his attention to lapse.

"Uh. Sorry, I wasn't really paying attention." Isshin overreacted in his usual way, looking away to yell something to the teen's dead mother, Ichigo rubbing the back of his neck before the old man returned the little group. How irritating. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki." The three looked amused at how the teen ignored his father's antics, and the blonde gave a short laugh.

"You really weren't paying attention, huh? Fair enough, kids these days usually don't. I'm Kisuke Urahara. If I hadn't been there to see you being born I'd say you weren't Isshin's kid. Too serious." Ichigo's scowl got a little worse, even as he momentarily shook the blonde's hand. He didn't like the way he looked at him. Like he was sizing him up as a meal.

"Greetings. I am Tessai Tsukabishi." Ichigo had to crane his neck to really look at the buff man, a pang of nervousness hitting him full force. He really didn't want to, but he shook his hand too, noting how strong he was in just the simple gesture. _Geez, what do they feed this guy? Raw eggs and protein shakes?_

Ichigo's attention rested on the woman then, a playful smirk on her features as she moved closer to him, her breasts nearly in his face when she leaned over and messed up his hair. "So this is Masaki's son, huh? I don't believe it. He's too cute to have ever come from Isshin's gene pool!" Ichigo barely registers his dad's protests, his eyes squeezed tight in embarrassment at having her bust so close to him.

"Now now, Yoruichi, don't go giving the young man a nosebleed." The sing-song voice of the blonde was already irritating him, and Ichigo took a step back to put some distance between himself and this Yoruichi lady.

"Alright. I met your friends old man. Can I get back to mine?" There was a slight flush on Ichigo's face, and he tried his hardest to look pissed off in an effort to mask it as anger. As if right on cue and having heard his words, his friends came over to get his attention. 

"Ichigo! We're going to go get something to eat, and we were wondering if you would like to join us? I mean.. it's alright if you'd rather spend time with your fath-" Ichigo cut Orihime off, heading closer to them despite his father's protests.

"Yeah, sure. Better than being stuck here all night. See ya old man, I won't be out too late." He dismissively waved his hand back towards the four adults, not looking back as he shoved his other hand in his pocket and left the venue with his friends.

\- - -

"Well, he's certainly matured." Kisuke mumbled the words to himself as he watched the teen head off with his three friends. He looked to his own when that mess of orange hair fell out of sight, a sly smile on his features - he was definitely planning something.

"Yeah.. too fast, though." Kisuke looked to his friend, an eyebrow raised a little while Isshin continued. "He didn't really get the chance to be a kid, forced himself to grow up when Masaki died. The closer he gets to being an adult the more he acts like one." Isshin sighed after his words left his mouth, looking over to the blonde with a small smile. "I want you to become his mentor Kisuke. Like you did for me and Masaki. Help him alright?"

Kisuke's eyes widened a little as his friend's words sunk in, and soon enough he was smiling giddily. "You do know how much of a bad idea that is, right? I mean it's one thing to let me be part of his life, but it's another to expect me to be a significant part. Not to mention it kind of sounds like you're wanting me to take him in and finish raising him for you."

Isshin just smiled, though it looked sad if anything. "Yeah. He needs someone to help guide him. He could use someone like you to help keep him sane." Kisuke's gaze became questioning, but realization dawned on him as the words sunk in.

"So.. he can see souls too, huh? Interesting." Isshin nodded at his old friend's words, crossing his arms over his chest. 

\- - -

Leaving the party - if it could really be called that - Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets. Orihime was talking about something excitedly and honestly he couldn't keep up with her words. His medication was still in full effect, making it hard for him to retain much information - which probably did more than enough to explain how rude he probably was to his dad's friends. If what Orihime was saying happened to be something important he'd learn what she was saying soon enough.

He sighed a little, pushing his hair out of his face. Today had been a real drag, talk about putting a damper on someone's emotions. Just what was his old man thinking? Why did he have to meet those people and why was he so insistent on Ichigo's presence at the party?

"Ichigo?" Orihime talking to him brought his attention back to reality quickly enough. He turned to look at her, a questioning look on his face for a moment, spurring her to ask her question again. "Do you want to go get burgers, or is there something else you would prefer?" She offered him a gentle smile, though she looked unsure of something.

He thought about it for a moment, looking up to the slowly darkening sky. He really wasn't that hungry, so he just shrugged and turned himself away from his three friends. "Actually, you guys go on ahead. I think I might be coming down with something. I'll just head home and have some soup." He was already walking off near the end of his mild monologue, not really hearing the protests they gave to him ditching them so soon after agreeing to eat with them.

He didn't feel sick at all, and a pang of guilt hit him at the technical lie to his friends, but he honestly just wanted to be alone right now. While he walked he thought over his dad's friends. His would-be godfather. Yeah right, like he would ever consider that old man to be something like that for him. Come to think of it.. Ichigo wasn't sure he even knew what a godfather was. He'd have to look it up later.

Looking up towards the sky for a moment, a wave of satisfaction washed over the teen. It was a nice sight - seeing the sky turn orange. It was happening earlier than usual, and he knew the seasons were starting to change. The heat of summer mingled with the cool wind that was brought by autumn. Summer break was coming to an end, but some part of him was actually glad. Being in school meant he had things to keep himself occupied. Keep him busy enough to not think about the hallucinations.

The quiet of being (mostly) alone did wonders for his overactive mind, and before he could put too much thought in the fact that he was on autopilot and walking on his own, he was standing in front of his house. Ichigo's usual scowl returned to his features as he pulled out his keys and moved to unlock the door to let himself in. It seemed his dad and little sisters were still out. Oh well, that just gave him more time to relax.

Locking the door behind himself, Ichigo quickly made his way up the stairs and to his room, where he grabbed his pj's before heading to the bathroom. He sat his clothing down on the sink, halfway through pulling his shirt up when he heard the sound of the doorbell.  _Maybe dad left his key behind when we left._ He shook his head to rid himself of the thought, his dad wouldn't leave without it. Heading downstairs and over to the door, that bad feeling he had felt earlier returned and unsettled him. A quick few knocks from the other side startled Ichigo out of his conflict about answering the door, his mouth open to start yelling about it being late - but the sight that greeted him twisted his insides and make him wish he hadn't of bothered with the door in the first place.

Uruhara - or whatever his first name was - offered him a smile when the teen answered the door. Ichigo had to fight the urge to slam the door in his face. "Good evening Ichigo, may I come in?" Ichigo scoffed, his eyes narrowing a little as his grip on the door tightened, intent on holding his ground.

"No. The old man isn't here, come back later." As Ichigo started to close the door, Urahara's hand shot out and pushed the door open. His smile widened and a shiver ran down Ichigo's spine bringing with it all of the warning signs that he needed to get this dangerous man far away from him. Before he could shove the door closed, however, Kisuke pushed his way in, leaving the teen dumbfounded and fumbling for words to articulate his anger and express desire for him to leave. 

"I'm sorry Ichigo but I must insist. My business isn't with your dad. It's with you." That smile, and the way the blonde spoke, made Ichigo feel _sick_.

"Listen, I don't give a fuck what your business with me is," Ichigo took a step towards the blonde, fight-or-flight mentality setting in. "But you need to get the hell out of my house before I call the police." A dark glint briefly showed in Urahara's eyes, and the flight part of Ichigo's momentary assertiveness raised a red flag. 

"You're not going to call the police." The way he said those words made his blood boil, Ichigo clenching his fists tightly while his eyes narrowed more. He barely noticed it when Urahara started inching himself closer to him, only catching it when the older man's hand gripped his shoulder. Quickly, he tried to shrug it off, but the grip was painfully tight and it made the teen wince. "You're going to listen to my proposition, and then you're going to agree to come with me."

The words struck a chord in Ichigo, and before he knew it a fist darted out and connected with Kisuke's jaw, catching both of the men off guard. Ichigo was the first to come out of the shock, shoving the blonde's hand off before taking a step back to put some distance between the two of them. "Like hell I am. I have no intention of talking to you or going anywhere."

Urahara actually started to laugh, and Ichigo's brow furrowed as he tried to find a possible reason for that. He didn't say anything funny and there certainly wasn't anything amusing in the scenario.

"My, my, Ichigo. You certainly are the child of your parents. I admire your resolve." Despite the finality in his voice about giving in to Ichigo's stubbornness, the older man closed the distance between himself and Ichigo, catching the teen by surprise when he took the hand he had hit him with. Ichigo was about to yank his hand away when the man  _kissed_ his aching knuckles.  _What the fuck is wrong with this guy._ He swallowed hard, his fist unclenching a little from embarrassment due to the affection. 

"What the hell, old man. Even perverts don't have that much of a death wish to do that kind of shit to someone who just hurt them." His voice was quiet, and Kisuke gave another laugh - Ichigo pursed his lips together.  _He's treating me like a child - a child who's lashing out._ "What the fuck is so funny, gramps?"

Kisuke shook his head a little, moving another step closer and placing his free hand on the teens waist, another gentle laugh leaving him as Ichigo's eyes widened. "Nothing is funny, per se, I just didn't think you caught me checking you out." Ichigo immediately tried to move out of the older man's grip, panic settling in. "Relax. Just because I looked at the merchandise that doesn't mean I'm going to  _do_ anything to you. I'm content with just watching."

"That's bad enough!" Ichigo all but shouted the words, heat rising to his cheeks at the implications of what he was being told. 

"As much as I would like to continue on this train of thought and make that pretty little face of yours light up like a Christmas tree," Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "I really should get down to why I'm here. It's not to perv on you, or be beat up by someone less than half my age." Ichigo paused in his struggling, curiosity betraying him. "Your dad let it slip that you can see spirits like I can. I asked Tessai to check stuff out when you left the party and he found that you're on medication for hallucinations. Does it help?"

Ichigo couldn't help the dumbfounded look that took over his features, and for a moment he couldn't actually think of anything to say. This man looked into private files - no he had someone else do that. But wasn't that just as bad? Ichigo scoffed, breaking eye contact to glare at the floor. "..No. It doesn't help. What is this, an intervention? Giving me advice on the best medication? You can save it, I don't want to hear it." 

The blonde's grip loosened a little, moving to cup Ichigo's cheeks in his hands and make him look at him once more. The look on his face was all too serious now, and it made Ichigo's stomach twist with how nervous he was becoming. "I see them too, Ichigo. I just want to help." His smile was gentle, but it didn't really reassure the teen. "Tessai, Yoruichi, and I.. we all see them. And we know how to live with it. If you'll allow me, I'd like to show you how to as well."

He had to admit, it did sound nice, albeit too good to be true. "Why the hell would you want to help me? I'm not all too big on accepting help, especially not if it's out of some loyalty to my old man or mom." The last word made his lower lip quiver a little - it still hurt to talk about her. "What the hell could you possibly get out of this?"

Uruhara's smile softened, and he leant away from Ichigo to put his hands on his hips. "Sure, I want to help the oldest child of two of my best friends, but you interest me for another reason Ichigo. I have to admit, the idea of you being around me is attractive in itself." Ichigo couldn't find words to counter the blonde. He wanted to know more about why he wished to help, but at the same time he got the feeling that he really,  _really_ , didn't. 

"..I don't know. I'd have to think it over. And you'd have to leave me the hell alone so I could." Kisuke smiled widely, giving a little nod before he pulled out a folded piece of paper he'd written his number on previously. He put it in the teen's hand and moved over to the door, looking at Ichigo as he grabbed the handle.

"Alright. I'll give you time, space, anything you need Ichigo. But I'm going to need an answer from you before you go back to school." Without letting Ichigo retort, the blonde walked out, shutting the door behind himself and leaving the young man there to his own thoughts.

It was a good five minutes before Ichigo locked the door and slowly trudged his way upstairs and into the bathroom. He showered and dried off in a daze, the fact that all of that really just happened to settle in after he finished pulling the grey shirt over his head.  _What the fuck._

His old man and sisters still weren't home yet, but he wasn't all that worried about it. He had too much on his mind anyways. As he let himself into his room, he moved to lay down on his bed. Ichigo held the piece of paper, looking at the numbers as if trying to memorize them. Giving in soon enough, he moved and added Urahara as a contact in his cell. Moving to lay down again his attention rested on the ceiling, Ichigo thought over all that happened today. It was too damn eventful, from meeting the three people at the lame party to nearly being harassed by his would-be-godfather, he didn't really know what to think. So he didn't try. He squeezed his eyes shut and rolled onto his side, letting sleep claim him easily. 

 

\- - -

Ichigo's alarm brought him out of a dream he wouldn't remember, pupils contracted to the point that his irises made up most of his eyes. It was twenty minutes of laying there in silence before his stomach growled, yelling at him for his lack of dinner last night. Slowly, he sat up, looking over his room for a few moments before standing up and exiting his room. He could smell food downstairs, hear the commotion of his dad making a big deal out of something one of his sisters said. Ichigo had to force the content smile off of his lips as he moved downstairs, rubbing the back of his head as he moved over to the fridge to grab himself the jug of orange juice.

"Good morning Ichigo! Did you sleep well?" Yuzu was cheerful this morning, more so than usual, and Ichigo couldn't help the tiny smile he offered her while he retrieved a glass.

"Morning. Yeah." A man of few words, he put the orange juice back in the fridge after filling his cup, giving his little sister a kiss to the top of her head before sitting at the breakfast table. Karin and his dad were having an argument over something petty. It was an ordinary day. 

For some reason, Ichigo didn't feel very ordinary, though. Last night lingered in the back of his mind, drowning out all other thought as he let his chin rest on his hand. He didn't notice he was staring off into space until his dad passed his hand in front of his line of sight, making the teen lean back with a start. "What is it old man?" Irritation practically dripped from his words like venom.

"You were spacing out, Ichigo. Thinking about a girl?" His dad's smile made him cringe, and Karin side-eyed him as if expecting an answer to that herself. Seeing Ichigo's look of almost disgust, Isshin corrected what he thought was a mistake. "Boy?"

"Like hell I would tell you if I was - which I  _wasn't._ " Ichigo scoffed, looking away from his dad in favor of taking a drink of his juice.  _Ordinary._ He frowned a little to himself, looking down at the plate of food Yuzu set in front of him. He muttered his thanks before digging in, deciding to finish fast so he could head out, maybe ask his friends for advice on the lecherous old man that offered help - if you could call it that.

It wasn't ten minutes before Ichigo was standing, ignoring Karin and his father's antics as he carried his dishes to the sink. While there, he used his remaining juice to take his medication, heading back upstairs afterwards to get presentable for public. As soon as he walked into his room he set about changing into a simple t-shirt and some jeans, stopping by a mirror to mess his hair up in a way that made him look a little less like he'd just woken up. It was quite the feat to achieve, but one he was far too used to doing. Admiring himself for a few moments, Ichigo frowned.  _When did I become so vain?_ He sighed, looking away from the mirror as he shoved his cell phone and wallet into separate pockets.

Quick to head downstairs, Ichigo called out a quick  _be back later_ , heading out the door before he could get an answer in return. Ichigo figured he'd head over to Orihime's, Chad wouldn't have much to say on his predicament and he didn't need Uryu to pick it apart, she was like a happy medium between their friends. Of course, thinking of her like that made the teen frown - she was much more than that to him. A real friend for Tatsuki, and by admission, a real friend for him. 

It was still early, and by the time he made it up to his friend's door he realized he didn't know what time she usually got up.  _Only one way to figure out._ Ichigo knocked on the door before he could give himself time to second guess his decision, and moments later a very tired Orihime was opening the door. "Ichigo..?" She seemed out of it for a few moments, realization hitting her after a good minute, her eyes widening as she stepped behind her door - she was still in her night clothes. Ichigo's face reddened on its own, and he looked away when she hid herself.

"I can come back later, Orihime. Sorry to bother you so early." He had just turned to leave when he felt her hand grab his wrist.

"No, it's okay! Ichigo.. come in,  I'll go get changed." She was smiling at him - he didn't need to look at her to be able to tell. He was almost reluctant to actually step inside, watching her disappear into her laundry room so she could change. Looking around, he noted how.. clean.. it looked. She probably cleaned up messes as soon as they were made, a stark contrast to Ichigo's  _I'll do it late_ _r_ mindset.

Now that he's thinking about it.. this is the first time he'd been alone with Orihime in her home. All other times someone else was there with them, and it made him a little.. nervous. Before he had enough time to completely psyche himself out and convince himself that this was a bad idea, Orihime was coming out in one of her dresses, smiling happily at him. 

"Did you already eat, Ichigo? I can make something!" He looked at her, lips parted as he thinks over her words. Shaking his head, an all too breathy little laugh leaves him, tension washing from his shoulders as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I already ate, but don't let me stop you. Have at it." Ichigo watched as Orihime went about making herself breakfast, an almost comfortable silence filling the house. By the time they were sitting at her table and she started digging in, Ichigo had the words in his mind to describe what happened last night.

"Hey.. Orihime. You know how I see things, right?" That got her attention fast, worry evident on her features. Ichigo was quick to continue before she could pry too much - this wasn't a topic he brought up often. "Well, that guy that the old man introduced me to at that party? Apparently, he sees the same things as me. He kinda.. gave me an ultimatum." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from her. "He said he could help me.. deal with it, I guess." Orihime wasn't looking at him when he turned back to her, and Ichigo momentarily thought he'd said something to upset her.

"I think you should take his offer, Ichigo.. I mean.. I know I'm just in the sidelines with your problems but.." She looked up, smiling a little at him. "If he thinks he can help you.. and he sees the same things you do.. it might help." Ichigo nodded a little, his resolve crumbling just a little. She had a point, as it stood he could barely function without the crutches of his family and friends, and even then he barely talked about what bothered him. He looked away, combing his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah.. I get it. I have until school starts to answer him though so I'll give it a few days."  _Don't want to seem too eager to give in to that damn pervert._ He smiled a little, moving to stand. "Thanks, Orihime. I'll see you later alright?" She nodded happily, standing and seeing him out.

Through the entire walk home, Ichigo thought over the situation. Sure, he wanted to get better, wanted to stop thinking that he was crazy each time one of those all too real 'hallucinations' occurred. But at the same time having to learn from Urahara? He frowned, looking up to the sky.

Guess he really had no choice in the matter, especially since the guy seemed to really have his life on track. If Ichigo wanted to be able to live his life without the restriction of people needing to tell him who was and wasn't real, he would have to agree to the man's request.

\- - -

The next few days went by too fast, Ichigo's medication making him too tired to really do much. He mostly just sat around with his sisters, watching tv, or slept the day away. It was worrying behavior for your average seventeen-year-old, but he was hardly average. His family understood he didn't have the energy to do things anymore - not for lack of trying at least. The first day he'd tried to take his sister Karin to her soccer practice, only to need to sit down somewhere a little too far away to be much of a guardian. 

When he'd gotten home from that escapade, his dad entertained the idea of taking Ichigo off of the medication for the hundredth time. It didn't help, but it did make him more complacent when it came to his so called hallucinations. When he was off his medication, he talked to them. Sometimes tried to 'help them'. Whereas when he was on it, he ignored them completely - something his psychiatrist deemed to be an improvement and a sign that he didn't see them. Which wasn't the case, but like hell would Ichigo tell his shrink that, not with the risk of being put on an even worse medication looming over his head. Or worse. 

It was the last day of the time he'd been given to think over the offer he'd been given, and he was sitting in the living room watching TV with his sisters. Of course, he wasn't really watching, he was too lost in his own thoughts to pay attention. He didn't register the knock at the door, his sisters heading upstairs, or the conversation taking place. He came to when a hand gripped his shoulder - when had the TV been turned off? With a scowl, he turned to yell at his dad - who else would it be - when his brown eyes met grey ones. His mouth shut immediately, confusion taking over his features.  _Why's he here?_

Urahara smiled gently, removing his hand and moving to sit next to the teenager. Honestly, having him so close brought back the nervousness he'd been feeling the last time they were near each other, so without thinking Ichigo shifted farther away from the blonde - much to the elder's amusement.

"Did you already pack, Ichigo?" His gaze darted from Kisuke's eyes, down to the man's mouth. His voice sounded different than before - sweeter, maybe - and he couldn't help his sharp intake of air.  _Damn it._ He swallowed hard, tearing his gaze away to look around the room. His father was standing nearby, watching the exchange curiously, but when his son looked at him he gave a goofy smile.

Ichigo scoffed, standing up and moving to the stairs.  _Guess dad's in on this too. Go figure._ "No. I guess I'll go do that." Before he could be harassed any further - by either man - he quickly darted upstairs to his room. He couldn't think straight, his heart was beating hard in his chest and the teen was having a hard time trying to relax.

Giving his cheeks a few smacks to keep himself grounded in the moment, he went about filling a duffel bag with things he'd need. He didn't really know how long he'd be gone, but he packed his toothbrush, a few changes of clothes, his medication - not that he felt he would be taking it - and anything he would need for school. Halfway through filling the bag, his sister Karin let herself in his room and sat on his bed. Figuring she would talk when she wanted to, Ichigo kept quiet.

Sure enough, when he zipped the duffel bag up, Karin spoke up. "Why are you going with that guy, Ichigo?" There was pain hidden in her voice, and he frowned a little at the prospect that he inadvertently hurt his sister. 

With a little sigh, the teen moved to sit next to her, a small frown in place of his usual scowl. "He says he can help me. With the hallucinations." The young girl scoffed, turning to look at her big brother. He knew she could see them too - but he'd convinced her not to tell anyone. He'd never forgive himself if she had to go through the things that he did.

"So what, goat face is just sending you off with the guy like it's no big deal?" Her voice was starting to raise, and Ichigo moved to pull her into a hug quickly. He was probably the only one who actually knew her tells, knew when she needed a shoulder to lean on - even if she wouldn't ask for one. Her shoulders trembled with the threat of a sob, but he knew she'd never let it out. A few minutes of them sitting like that and Karin stood up, bored expression back on her face. "Thanks, Ichigo. Don't forget to text alright? Just because you have a boyfriend that doesn't mean you get to ignore us." Ichigo was about to pipe up, yell up a storm about that blonde pervert being nothing of the sort for him, but Karin just smiled smugly and left him to his anger.  _God damn it._  

Collecting his thoughts, Ichigo pulled himself from his room to go talk to Yuzu about this - she wouldn't be as understanding as Karin, but she'd never forgive him if he didn't say goodbye in person. Sure enough, after he managed to sit her down and told her he was going away for a while, she had started crying. Ichigo, not really knowing what to do, carefully rubbed his little sister's back. "C'mon Yuzu.. it's not for good. I'll still come see you sometimes." She looked up to him, her face twisted in sadness. "And I'll have my phone with me, so you can call or text me anytime you want." She seemed to relax a little at that, and the teen smiled as she leaned over to hug her brother lightly. Another few moments of talking - reassuring - and he returned to his room to get his bag.

It was a mess of making sure he had everything he needed - charger for his electronics, headphones, and his toiletries - before the teen emerged back downstairs, duffel bag over his shoulder. Urahara was looking at him the second he entered the room, and Ichigo shifted the weight on his feet nervously. "Ichigo!" Immediately, he looked to his dad, just managing to sidestep out of the way to avoid being pulled into a hug by the man.

"Keep your hands to yourself, old man! Jeez." Ichigo huffed, annoyance on his face.  _What a pain._ Walking over to the blonde - though careful to stay at least an arm's distance away - he looked him in the eyes. "Alright. I'm ready." Kisuke smiled, nodding once before leaving out the door. Ichigo was quick to shut it after he followed the man, if only to keep his father from running at him with affectionate intentions.

The teen blinked when a car door was opened for him, eyeing the lecher for a few moments before he easily slid inside and buckled in. Within moments, Urahara let himself into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition, the car roaring to life instantly. The car ride was silent - not that the blonde didn't try to strike up a conversation. All the replies he got were either dismissal grunts or short answers. 

When the car pulled up in front of Urahara Shop, Ichigo frowned. This wasn't something he expected, honestly. The teen slid out of his seat when his host opened the door for him - maybe he was sitting in the car too long, After all, he didn't notice Kisuke get out of the car. "Thanks." His voice was soft, and he bit his lip as he followed behind the man. Turns out, it was a candy shop. Something about the idea of this pervert selling candy rubbed him the wrong way. 

He was so deep in thought he didn't realize Urahara had stopped walking until he walked directly into him. Ichigo quickly moved to take a step back, losing his balance in the process and ending up being yanked forward and against the blonde.

Ichigo would never admit to himself that something inside of him twisted when his eyes locked with Kisuke's. Nor would he acknowledge his heart beating fast in his chest. "Um.. thanks.." His voice was uncharacteristically soft, a dusting of red on his cheeks.  _Should really move away.._

Urahara leaned in close, a gentle smile on his lips. "Oh no, thank  _you_ , Ichigo. If I knew you wanted me this badly...." He trailed off as the teen's eyes widened, Ichigo immediately pushing away from the blonde and putting a large distance between them.

"Keep your hands to yourself you damn pervert!" He practically shouted the words, his blush getting worse. Urahara laughed heartily, turning to walk down a hall.

"There you go, that glum expression was depressing me. Come on, I'll show you to your room." After a few moments to straighten his thoughts out, Ichigo cautiously followed the man. Honestly, he wasn't expecting it when the door was opened and he was met with a rather nice looking room. Arching a brow, the teen glanced to Urahara, who just looked all too smug. "My room is right across the hall if you need anything. Down the hall," He pointed the direction he meant, and Ichigo followed the movement. "Is the bathroom. Unless..." Ichigo turned to give Urahara a confused look, but was met with the man being all too close to him again. "You would like to share a room with me? I have my own bathroom." 

Ichigo quickly slipped into the room that would be his, slamming the door shut. He could hear Urahara laughing on the other side of the wall, and the orangette really regretted his decision to come here.  _What a fucking mistake._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent way too long getting the wording to flow to my liking, it still has some kinks in it and I'll have to work on that. I'm going to send it to my beta-reader and work on it another day. I hope you enjoy it though! I don't know when I'll work on the next chapter, but it'll probably be sometime this month.


	2. You're my cornerstone.

The rest of the day went by fast - too fast, and Ichigo learned the ropes around the house - or as much as he could in one day. Like where Tessai's and Yoruichi's rooms were. He learned of Jinta and Ururu - Kisuke's wards. Even earned himself a ridiculous nickname. Ichigo agreed to take on chores to help around the house - it was only right, since he was living there now. Though, he did tell Urahara that he was less than ideal when it came to cleaning up.

Unfortunate for his host - since his room was closest to Ichigo's - the young man had one of his dreams that night. It was barely two in the morning when Ichigo started thrashing in his bed, whimpers leaving him - as if he was being attacked. Kisuke let himself in the room as soon as it'd woken him, his eyes widening at the sight. 

"Just as I thought.." The cause of Ichigo's distress looked over immediately, the teen settling down as soon as the focus was broken. The man, though not alive and without much of a physical form, slowly stood to his full height. Ragged, dark brown hair accentuated his features quite nicely, and pain was extremely evident on his face. "You should try talking to him, you know. Giving him dreams will only make it worse, make him more skeptical."

Kisuke crossed his arms over his chest, even as the man turned to look back at the sleeping teen. "He cannot hear me."

The blonde frowned, his own gaze resting on Ichigo for a brief moment. "Give it time. He's been medicated to the point of feeling numb. I doubt he's been able to hear spirits in a long time." The brunette, while silent, seemed to relax at the prospect that the teenager wasn't simply ignoring him.

"How can I protect him?" His words caught Kisuke off guard, grey eyes widening. With a little huff, the blonde closed his eyes and relaxed back on the wall. When he opened them back up, the spirit was gone. 

Urahara slowly moved over to Ichigo, pulling the blanket back up over him. "..How indeed." His gaze softened and he stood back to his full height, exiting the orangette's room. He reassured Tessai and Yoruichi - who had both been woken by the commotion, and then went back to his room to get more rest.

In just a few more hours, Ichigo woke up, his dream long forgotten and his vision bleary. He'd been on the same schedule for years, so even without his alarm clock to wake him he was up with plenty of time to get ready. Of course, with a longer route to walk to and from school, he didn't have the time to be very leisurely in his routine. 

Ichigo was up and getting dressed before the sun had fully risen, ready for his first day back at school. Normalcy was something his life had been severely lacking in for the past two months, and he was looking forward to setting that straight.

Stepping out of his room as soon as he was dressed, Ichigo made his way to the kitchen to see about getting something for breakfast. It was a bit of a surprise to see Kisuke in there, the guy seemed the sort to sleep in until noon. The blonde smiled at him when he walked in, and Ichigo mumbled a quick 'good morning' while moving to make himself some toast. 

"Good morning Ichigo. Did you sleep well?" The usual sing-song tone wasn't there, and the teen looked Urahara over for a few moments, as if trying to see if he was sick or something. 

"Uh.. yeah. I guess." He rubbed the back of his neck, tearing his gaze away so he could focus on the toaster. Apparently a wrong move, because the blonde was behind him before he could register it, arms trapping him against the counter. "Hey-"

"You had me worried last night." Ichigo's brow furrowed, and he turned enough to be able to look at the larger man. He was acting weird, a lot more serious than Ichigo knew him to be, and it was starting to freak him out. "You were having a bad dream. Maybe you should take my offer to share a bed with me. If only to make sure you don't hurt yourself in your sleep." The look on his face was calm - there was no trace of the lecher he'd been known to be. 

"Uh... I mean.. that would be too much of a bother. All of my stuff is already.." He trailed off, swallowing hard and tearing his gaze away.  _Why am I actually considering it?_

A hand touched his cheek and brought him out of his thoughts. "Your stuff can stay where it is. It's still your room. Just.. stay with me at night.. until you get used to living here, alright?" Ichigo found himself nodding before he could help himself. Soft lips pressed to his temple, and then that encasing heat of Kisuke being so close was gone.

_What the hell._

He ate his toast fast, grabbed his bookbag, and left for school a lot earlier than usual. It was going to be a long day.

\- - -

Ichigo walked in the shop after a long day at school, giving a short nod to Jinta and Ururu, before he walked off to his room to do his homework. Not ten minutes into relaxing at his desk, however, Urahara let himself in and smiled widely at the teen. Slowly, the orangette turned to face him, eyes narrowed in suspicion. After what happened this morning, he wasn't sure he wanted to be alone with him.

"Let's have a quiet night in, Ichigo. Just the two of us." Brown eyes stared questioningly, as if trying to coax the reasoning out of his host. When nothing came, he scoffed and turned back to his homework.

"No." He kept his voice even - trying to sound as bored as possible - even though internally he was very interested. Technically, he'd already agreed to spend a quiet night alone with the lecher anyways. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kisuke coming closer to him.

"I'll keep my hands to myself." The sing-song voice Urahara used told him differently, and Ichigo grunted in dismissal. He tried to make it look like he was doing his homework, but his attention was focused on the blonde, painfully aware of how close he'd gotten. Even though he knew he was there, it still surprised him when Kisuke's hands moved to rest on his desk, his chest against the back of his chair. _Some serious deja vu right here._  "Alright, I may have been lying a little about that, but can you really blame me?" 

"Yes." He grunted the word out, though his heart was racing. He couldn't even bring himself to pretend to be working on calculus right now.

The silence felt like it was stretching for hours, though really it was probably just a minute or two. Far too long, in Ichigo's opinion. He set down his pencil, shifting a little in his seat - he was about ready to turn around when he felt lips brush against his ear, Kisuke's voice soft and lilting. "We could always forego the formalities and get straight to the fun stuff." The teen's eyes widened, and he shuddered visibly, too shocked to move away.

A hum of approval left Urahara and he moved to kiss at Ichigo's neck. The teen couldn't keep his gasp in if he tried - which he did. "Old man.. you're really trying my patience here.." His voice lacked the venom it usually did, and he tilted his head a little to - unintentionally - allow the blonde better access to his neck. Kisuke's tongue dragged up the side of Ichigo's throat, bringing a shaky groan out of him. Through his haze, he reached back to tangle his fingers in the - surprisingly - soft hair of the elder man.

"You know, Ichigo.." Urahara started, voice low as he kissed up to the orangette's jaw. "From what I've witnessed today.. you make some of the sweetest noises I've ever heard.." Kisuke grinned when Ichigo practically growled, knowing he just stepped on a nerve that the smaller of the two wouldn't tolerate. "I like a vocal partner." He nipped Ichigo's earlobe, another little gasp leaving the teen's lips.

 _Why am I just letting this happen?_ Ichigo knew the answer to his own question. He didn't want it to stop. His thoughts had been plagued by him all day, ever since their morning fiasco. He'd gotten in trouble for spacing out so often during his lessons, and even at lunch he couldn't focus on the conversation with his friends.

The blonde slowly turned the chair that Ichigo was seated in, his gaze and smile almost affectionate when grey eyes looked into brown. The teen's heart raced on, and in a split second decision, Ichigo yanked Kisuke's shirt to bring him toppling into a rushed kiss. Ichigo hissed a little as he leaned away, the pain of having someone's face slam into his own a little too much for his tastes.

The teen grimaced a little when his would-be-lover started laughing, and for a moment he wished he didn't do anything. But then those soft lips were touching his own - caressing them, _dancing_ with them even - and Ichigo wrapped his arms around Kisuke's neck in an effort to pull him closer.

Just as quickly as it started, the kiss ended. Ichigo frowned a little, unable to control his little pout as he watched the blonde duck out of his grip and head back towards the door. "I'll see you tonight, Ichigo!" Ichigo shook his head, tensing his jaw and turning his chair back around so he could get back to his homework. He smiled though, more to himself than anything. Kisuke had kissed him. On the _mouth._  As much as he enjoyed the idea of being kissed on a regular basis, Ichigo wasn't sure he would be able to handle what the pervert was laying on the table.

\- - -

Later that evening, after Ichigo showered and changed into sweats and an old t-shirt, he stood awkwardly at his host's door. Deciding against just heading in - just in case - Ichigo knocked on the door. Moments later, it opened, and the teen's breath hitched in his throat. How Kisuke managed to look good in anything, even just pj pants, was beyond him. "Uh.." The blonde smirked, and Ichigo quickly averted his gaze. Neither mentioned how red his face became.

"Come on in, Ichigo. I was just about to lay down and put a movie on. Any preferences?" Urahara moved away from the door, humming in approval when Ichigo stepped in and shut the door behind himself.

"No, not really. Though I  _would_ appreciate it if you kept the volume down on it. I have school in the morning." His voice was a little too soft for his own liking, even as he slowly moved to stand next to Kisukes's futon. It was big, maybe a queen size, and it wasn't really made up, per se. If anything, it looked like the comforter was thrown over it without a second thought.

"Hm.. Alright. I'll put something on - and keep it quiet, per your request." While he went about that, the orangette awkwardly sat on the edge of the futon, embarrassment more than obvious. Briefly, he thought of the differences between their tastes. Beds made Ichigo more comfortable, laying on a mattress on the floor was too old school for his tastes.

It was a few minutes before the blonde moved to stand in front of Ichigo, pulling the teen from his thoughts and unintentionally causing him to check him out. "..What is it old man. Staring at me isn't exactly polite." He tried to put his usual venom in his words, but with his face flushed like that he's sure it didn't exactly work in his favor.

Kisuke smiled, crouching in front of Ichigo and carefully cupping his cheek - something that made more heat rise to the teen's face. "You can relax you know. I'm sure my futon is big enough for the both of us." Ichigo scoffed, quickly looking away from the blonde.

"I'll relax in my own time, old man. Jeez." His host stood back up, laughing a little while moving to finish pulling his TV out of the closet. A movie was put on quickly enough, the volume all but muted, and Ichigo payed no attention to it while moving to lay under the covers. He briefly thought of how they must smell like Kisuke, something that unintentionally caused more color to rise to his face. 

 _What am I, a lovestruck pre-teen? Please. This is embarrassing._  Ichigo's mouth became all too dry the second his host joined him under the covers. 

Honestly, he didn't know what he was expecting, but being let alone didn't make it onto the list of possibilities. He peeked over at his host - unintentionally thinking of how attractive he was. It wasn't until Kisuke cleared his throat that Ichigo realized he'd been staring, brown eyes widening a little before he rolled over to have his back to the blonde.  _Damn it._

"You know, you could come closer. I don't mind cuddling." The sing-song tone wasn't there, but it still pissed Ichigo off. 

"Bite me." He said the words under his breath, shifting to get comfortable, not expecting to feel teeth against his shoulder - hell Ichigo didn't even feel the lecher move closer to him. Slowly, he shifted to look wide-eyed at the man, struggling to come to terms with the fact that he actually bit him. "..Wha.."

"You said to bite you. So I did." Urahara's smile struck a chord in Ichigo, and the teen scowled at him while turning to push him. Not that it made him budge from his spot leaning over him.

"You damn pervert. Keep your hands to yourself." He refused to admit the pang of desire he felt from the bite, his face reddening the longer his host kept above him.

Kisuke smiled, leaning down a little to kiss where he bit. "I haven't touched you with anything but my mouth since you came to stay with me. Of course.. my mouth can be quite persuasive." 

"That's it old man, I'm going to kick your ass!" Ichigo's voice raised, and he shifted to sit up, but his host didn't budge. All but pinning him to the bed, the blonde's smile softened. 

"Oh come now Ichigo, is it really so bad that I wan't to make you feel good?" The way he said his name made him shiver. Ichigo looked away again, scoffing a little to himself.  _Shoulda known not to do this._ "You're so tense.. relax. I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to. If you tell me no, I'll stop."

Slowly, Ichigo relaxed. Knowing that he was still in control of the situation definitely helped. "I'm tired. Good night." Urahara moved back to his side of the bed as soon as the words left Ichigo, true to his word that he wouldn't do anything unless Ichigo said it was okay. The heat slowly left his face, and a comfortable silence fell over the room - or at least as much of one that could with the TV still on.

It was less than half an hour before the orangette relaxed into a deep sleep. Even with the bad vibes he got from the blonde, he couldn't deny how safe he made him feel. Not that he'd ever say it out loud.

\- - -

Of course, waking up encircled in the blonde's arms wasn't something he thought would happen, so when his internal clock brought him from his slumber it takes the orangette a few good minutes to understand what's going on. His eyes went comically wide, though he didn't try to pull away. He relaxes once again when he registered the even breathing of the man holding him, letting it sink in that the older man was still asleep. The only problem with that was that it left Ichigo in a terribly awkward position. He had to get up, get ready for school, but at the risk of waking his host up he thought against it.

Or, at least, he tried to. For the first ten minutes it was easy enough. He almost fell back asleep a couple times, only kept from being dragged back into his dreams by sheer force of will alone. Brown eyes narrowed as he tried to get comfortable, the side he was laying on starting to go a little numb. To his relief, or maybe the opposite, it brought an interested hum from the blonde.

"Mmn... good morning, I-chi-go~" The singsong voice grated upon his nerves, annoyance multiplied because of his name being used. The orangette shifted, moving his hands to the older man's chest to try to push him back a little. He was granted a little reprieve from the closeness, a blonde brow raising as the man looked at him curiously.

"Let go, old man. I have school today." There's an edge to him voice that he's more than grateful for, as it certainly gave pause to his host's actions. It's a few moments of Kisuke looking at him before the grey-eyed man is sighing and releasing him, rolling over to huddle up under the covers.

"Have a good day at school, Ichigo, and... I hope you slept well." The man had turned to smile over his shoulder with the last part of his sentence, the expression nothing but kind. It twisted Ichigo's insides, his face flushing a little as he forced himself out of the bed. 

"Yeah. Sure. I'll see you later." The words leave Ichigo quickly, though the venom from earlier is gone. He smiled a little to himself as he returned to his room, quickly changing out of his night clothes and into his school uniform - though he let his hands roam a little too adventurously along his body when his skin is bare. His thoughts were brought back to last night, to the closeness of Kisuke, and to that promise of pleasure. Visibly shuddering, Ichigo let his eyes close. 

_Yeah, no. Not gonna happen._

Pulling himself from his less than innocent thoughts, Ichigo finished up gathering his things, leaving for school without a second thought. Contrary to popular belief, breakfast wasn't in fact the most important meal of the day.

The walk along his new path to school was hurried, at least until it converged with his friends'. It didn't take long for the first of them to show up, Chad giving Ichigo a grunt in greeting. While the silence between the two happened to be amiable, it was a relief to both quiet boys when Orihime and Uryu joined them, the four starting the trek towards school together. That familiar feeling of normalcy settled in, and Ichigo couldn't stop himself from smiling as he watched his friends.

Orihime was talking excitedly about an art project that was due today, Uryu laughing more to himself than anything at how pumped she seemed about it. The red haired girl laughed with him, her expression brightening up considerably. Chad - while quiet during the display - seemed extremely pleased this morning. Ichigo caught himself thinking not for the first time of how lucky he was for having friends like them. 

"So, Ichigo! How is living with Urahara!" Orihime's cheery voice rang through his thoughts, and the orangette blinked for a moment before shrugging and looking away. Being the center of attention - even with his group of friends - was a little too uncomfortable of a feeling. His thoughts returned momentarily to the night before. To this morning. To thoughts that plagued him of grey eyes and blonde hair. He shook his head to try to rid himself of the flush that rose to his features, scowl forcing it's way to the surface.

"It's alright. A lively house, that's for sure. But I have my own room, and the creep seems to really want to help so.." He trailed off, a frown tugging at his lips as he gazed off in the direction they were walking. He didn't see the look his three friends gave each other, but he did manage to catch Orihime's forced smile when he looked back over. "...What?"

"I think that's the easiest you've talked about what's going on in your life in all of the years I've known you." Uryu's voice called out calmly as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Attention on the raven haired man, a scoff left Ichigo. 

"That's gotta be a lie. I bet I've told you a lot of stuff as soon as it happened, you just didn't bother listening." Despite what he was saying, he knew his friend was right, being open was something the orangette was really bad at. "In any case, try not to make such a big deal out of it. It's not the end of the world or anything."

"May as well be." The retort sounded easily, and Ichigo's scowl rested on his glasses wearing friend. His temper was being tested today, it seemed. Orihime, seeing the tension that was starting to make itself at home among the group, started up another rant about school. 

 _Thank fuck._  

Honestly, if he had to explain himself every time he didn't fight tooth and nail to talk about what's going on in his life, he might at well just keep his mouth shut. Scowling hard, Ichigo's attention rested back on the path ahead. Just a few more blocks and he'd be able to let the numbness of school take over, everything would be fine and dandy. He was starting to relax already, about to tell Uryu he was a dick for dragging his bad side out this early.

But that's when he saw it. A figure that he's sure wouldn't be tangible. The way it - she - looked at him, no living person would do that unless they were looking for a fight. His hands felt clammy, and he immediately stopped, cursing himself for not bringing his medication with him to school.

Unfortunately for him, his friends stopped as well, curious expressions on their faces as they looked between Ichigo and the place he was staring at. They couldn't see the girl. Her violet eyes, swept black hair, irritated expression. The orangette felt very isolated as the hallucination stared him down. Vaguely, he registered Orihime moving to go to him, but he shook his head a little. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up." The redhead was about to protest, but the other two boys ushered her along immediately. If there was anything they agreed on, it would have to be that Ichigo needed to be alone to handle the things they couldn't see.

Frowning as he moved to stand closer to her - she looked like she would be around the same age as him. Maybe a little younger. The look in his eye softened, and he sighed a little. "Look. I don't know what you're so mad about me for.. but can we save it for later. I need to be able to focus in class." He would look to be a few cards short of a deck to any living person, but reasoning with his hallucinations was part of his life. Part of his healing process, as his psychiatrist had called it. 

The girl spoke - but he couldn't hear the words. His brow furrowed, and he shook his head for a minute. "I can't believe the shit in my head is trying to talk to me. I can't even hear you." She looked horribly offended by the revelation, but nodded anyways. It was only a few moments before she faded from view, a shaky exhale leaving the orangette as he slowly started up his walk towards the school again.

He can't help but to think - with a sour taste in his mouth - of how quickly the normal facade can just.. shatter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took way too long to work out, and I apologize whole-heartedly. Putting a deadline for myself seemed to stress me out something fierce when it came to writing, so I don't know when I'll manage the next chapter. I'm not abandoning this though!!!
> 
> Also, I apologize for this being a lot shorter than the first bit!


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